Fat Reduction & Weight Loss
This focuses on the potential and actual
impact on weight control of use of food products modified to reduce fat
content.
Fat Reduction in Foods
Fat reduction in foods can be accomplished in many ways: By physical removal
or prevention of fat incorporation, by replacement of fats with non-fat
or non-nutritive ingredients, or by alternative food preparation technologies.
A very broad range of reduced-fat versions of many foods have been developed
and marketed in response to strong consumer demand, particularly during
the 1980s and 1990s. This demand was driven by scientific and media promotion
of connections between fat intake and health risks, including overweight
and obesity.
Fat Reduction in Food & Weight Loss
A large number of epidemiological and controlled intervention studies
conclude that reductions in fat intake in general are beneficial for weight
loss or reduced risk of weight gain. The latter issue may be particularly
important, given the astounding rates of weight gain occurring in many
populations, and difficulty of weight maintenance after dieting. However,
in most of this research, changes in fat intake per se are not readily
distinguished from changes in other aspects of food composition, notably
dietary energy density. Also, reductions in fat intake may be achieved
by many different dietary routes, not just reduced-fat products alone.
Low Fat Does Not Mean Low Calorie
The growth in the use of these products has paralleled a rise in obesity
prevalence in many nations. It is presumed that reduced-fat product use
is a reflection of weight concerns, but conceivable that over-consumption
of these products could also be a contributor to the problem. Use of reduced-fat
foods generally leads to a reduced intake of fat as a percent of energy,
and probably has contributed to downward trends in this measure in many
populations. However, "reduced-fat" does not directly imply
reduced-energy, and actual energy content per weight or unit food is not
always reduced in these products. Furthermore, assumptions about dietary
benefits based on food composition alone often assume one-to-one replacement
of full-fat foods by reduced-fat alternatives. Lastly, there are suggestions
- though little hard data - that awareness of "reduced-fat"
label information prompts 'deliberate' overconsumption of reduced-fat
foods by many consumers.
Low Fat Food & Diet
Fat reduction can deliver a broad range of manufactured food options suitable
for consumers concerned with weight control. However, use of reduced-fat
products should not necessarily be relied upon as a sole solution to achieve
weight management goals. But despite all these caveats, analyses consistently
indicate that use of these products is a dietary strategy which is indeed
associated with more 'healthy' patterns of foods choice and intake.
Fat-Modified Foods Helpful for Weight
Loss
Use of fat-modified foods in place of traditionally-formulated items can
be helpful as part of an overall, wilful strategy to reduce fat intake
and improve weight control. Effectiveness will depend on composition formulation
of specific products, and the extent and manner in which they are incorporated
into the diet.
Dr David Mela, Unilever Health Institute,
Unilever R & D Vlaardingen, The Netherlands. (2001)
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